Man gets 22 mos after refusing to testify

A man was sentenced to just under two years in prison Tuesday after reneging on his promise to testify in two shootings.

Antonio E. Cook Jr., 29, previously pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and witness tampering in cases unrelated to the two shootings, and Deputy Spokane County Prosecutor Mark Cipolla agreed to dismiss the charges in exchange for his testimony.

Cook has since refused to testify, Cipolla said, so the charges were reinstated and he pleaded guilty. Superior Court Judge Sam Cozza sentenced Cook to 22 months in prison Tuesday.

Cook was a witness to the July 2009 shooting that injured two women. Timothy “Stoney Boy” Lucious was convicted of second-degree assault, which was his third strike and resulted in a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.

In the other case, John S. “Q” Williams was shot to death on Jan. 17, 2010. Alleged triggerman Edward “TD” Thomas, 25, and six other people have been charged in the investigation, which was assisted by Cook’s statements to police.